(no subject)

Blue Cross Blue Shield ran a full-page ad for their federal employment program in my paper today. It shows multiple rows of blue poolside chairs, interspersed with closed umbrellas and little tables. The brief upper caption: "Blue is freedom to choose." (The last three words appear handwritten on a line, apparently to evoke someone having chosen the words on a form.) The longer caption in smaller font:

Different people have different preferences. A parent might need a health plan with room to grow, while young singles may want basic coverage with low deductibles. Blue Cross Blue Shield is a great choice for them and everyone in between, thanks to the size of our provider network and our flexible plan options. Find out more at fepblue.org.

What doesn't sit right with me? Well, the chairs all look identical. They may be empty and therefore up for grabs, but when the only differences are in precise location, it's hard to get excited about your freedom to choose. The image utterly fails to convey anything like "room to grow" versus "basic" or "low deductibles."


While I'm at it... BCBS, please decide on a standard way to write your name. Your logo shows "BlueCross BlueShield," contradicting the same ad's paragraph. The Web site even adds "and," as in "the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association." My job requires me now and then to figure out what to call you. Please make it easier.

(no subject)

On Saturday, I saw Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? via Netflix. The next day, passing by Potomac Video, I decided to get something from the classics section. My eye fell on Francis of Assisi. The facts that I seemed to remember a middling IMDb score for it and recognized none of the main actors' names suggested that it was a stretch for the section, but between my love for Francis and the direction of Michael Curtiz, I went for it.

Turns out I did recognize one actor by both face and name: Cecil Kellaway. He played a cardinal in FoA and a monsignor six years later in GWCtD. Funny, he seemed too good to be demoted.

Further research indicates that I had seen Kellaway in a few other movies without knowing it. He was also in Gunga Din -- which would have been my next choice after FoA.

I'd call it quite a coincidence, but I'm believing in those less and less.